# 986
Chapter 987: New Candidate
"Excuse me, where is Captain Lin?" When the man saw the cloaks worn by Baili Pangpang and the others, he recognized them as members of the Night Watch squad and immediately asked.
"You're looking for Qiye? What for?"
"Oh, I'm here on behalf of Commander Zuo to deliver this Star Sea Medal to Captain Lin." The man couldn't help but exclaim, "I heard Captain Lin fought gods at Takamagahara this time and made great contributions. I've long admired him."
The air fell into dead silence.
Fang Mo's smile froze on his face. Even Lu Baoyou, who had been peeling his fingers absently, shuddered and accidentally cut his finger.
The recruits stared open-mouthed in shock...
"Oh, I see." Baili Pangpang said with a smile, pointing in Lin Qiye's direction. "He's over there."
"Thank you."
The man's figure flickered and vanished on the spot.
The next moment, the entire training ground exploded in chaos!
...
Lin Qiye took the Star Sea Medal from that Night Watch member.
It was still Lin Qiye's first time receiving an individual Star Sea Medal. The previous two were all group medals, representing the accomplishments of the entire Night Watch squad. He examined the individual medal carefully and found that besides having his name engraved on the back, there seemed to be no other differences.
"Individual Star Sea Medal?" Yuan Gang walked over with many instructors, smiling. "I haven't seen one of these in many years... It seems like this mission of yours achieved something extraordinary?"
"Just lucky." Lin Qiye put the medal away and smiled, casually brushing past the topic.
Yuan Gang didn't press further. His gaze fell on the wooden case on Lin Qiye's back as he asked with confusion, "Hmm? When did you start carrying a black case too?"
"There's a sword that's not easy to store, so I temporarily kept it in the case."
The black case on Lin Qiye's back contained the divine weapon Ame-no-Murakumo he had seized from Takamagahara. Because of its characteristic of "cutting through anything," it couldn't be sheathed in any scabbard. Lin Qiye could only store it in the black case, using metal to secure the sword's hilt and ensure the blade wouldn't touch the case or any other objects.
"This morning, we received Commander Zuo's orders demanding that the recruits complete their training within ten days." Yuan Gang looked at Lin Qiye. "What do you think?"
When it came to the official topic, Lin Qiye's expression grew serious.
"Ten days is definitely not enough time to improve physical fitness or elevate cultivation. So I want to approach this from a different angle." Lin Qiye paused. "Actually, on the way here, we already briefly discussed a plan..."
Lin Qiye briefly explained the squad's discussed plan to the instructors. The instructors exchanged glances.
"This... would be a first in the training camp's history." Yuan Gang pondered. "But under special circumstances, doing this might indeed have unexpected effects."
"Do you think it's feasible?"
"Feasible." Yuan Gang nodded. "When do you plan to take them away?"
"We roughly calculated that this experience would only take about seven days total. Before that, I want to give them a vacation first." Lin Qiye said seriously.
"A vacation?" Yuan Gang was stunned.
"This experience plan will be very demanding, and they've already gone through four months of high-intensity training. Keeping them in a state of high pressure for too long would have the opposite effect.
Coincidentally, isn't New Year coming up in a couple of days? Let them rest properly first. After the New Year, we set off."
Yuan Gang沉思片刻，看了眼远处沸腾的新兵们，长叹了口气。
"也好，毕竟等到战争打响，谁也不知道他们的命运会怎么样……或许在未来相当长的一段时间里，他们都没办法休息了。"
Yuan Gang thought in silence for a moment, glancing at the boiling recruits in the distance, and sighed deeply.
"That works too. After all, once the war breaks out, no one knows what their fates will be... Perhaps for a相当长的时间里，他们都没办法休息。"
After Yuan Gang finished speaking, it was as if he suddenly thought of something. He frowned, lost in deep thought.
"What's wrong, Instructor Yuan?"
"I suddenly thought of something." Yuan Gang's expression turned odd. "If you three days off... the timing might be a bit inopportune."
Lin Qiye was confused. "Why?"
Yuan Gang raised his head, his expression complex as he looked in a certain direction.
"Recently, Shangjing City... is about to face a storm."
...
Shangjing City.
Squad 006's garrison.
Shao Pingge stood by the window, gazing at the bare branches in the courtyard, sighing deeply.
He pressed his phone to his ear and slowly said, "So, the war is really coming?"
"Mm." Zuo Qing's voice came from the other end of the call. "We only have ten days. Within these ten days, you must resolve the situation in Shangjing City. It's best if you can finish it within these two days.
Shangjing is the heart of Great Xia and where the Night Watch headquarters is located. This matter requires your utmost caution. There can be no mistakes."
"...Understood."
Shao Pingge helplessly closed his eyes.
"I know you have a lazy personality and don't like fighting and such. But since war has come looking for us, we have no choice." Zuo Qing added, "The front lines can't do without you, Shao Pingge."
"Rest assured, I know what matters most." Shao Pingge shrugged. "Have you found a new candidate?"
"I've found one. I'll fax his information to you shortly."
"Reliable?"
"Very reliable. He's that person's agent. Whether it's strength, temperament, or God's Ruins, he's the most suitable." Zuo Qing spoke with certainty. "I've already issued him the transfer order. He'll arrive in Shangjing by tonight at the latest."
"Alright."
After finishing, Shao Pingge hung up.
His gaze through the window fell on the martial arts training ground behind the courtyard. Several Squad 006 members were sparring with each other, laughing and arguing.
Shao Pingge stood quietly in place, like a statue.
A few minutes later, the fax machine beeped.
Soon, a document appeared on Shao Pingge's desk.
He snapped back to reality and walked to the desk. Reaching out, he picked up the document and read it carefully.
"Former Squad 332 Captain stationed in Anta County, Chen Han..." he murmured.
...
Anta County.
A dilapidated two-story building stood alone before the barren jungle. The red walls had faded significantly over large areas. On the right side of the door hung a yellowed long sign.
— Anta County Forestry Bureau.
Patches of snow fell from the gray sky. In this northern border city of Great Xia, the temperature had dropped to over twenty degrees below zero.
On the uneven ground before the low building, frost had formed. A young man in an old military coat sat quietly on the stone steps of the stairs, a cigarette between his lips. Wisps of smoke rose from the burning tip.
He took a deep drag and slowly exhaled... Through the hazy mist, his eyes flickered with a deep, dark hue. His entire bearing suddenly became profound and unfathomable.